Spotify Brings Back Expanded Lyrics Feature for Free Users but With a Monthly Limit: Report

Spotify — the Swedish audio streaming service — is bringing back a highly requested feature months after it was put behind a paywall and removed from the free tier, according to the company. The lyrics feature is rolling out for users without a subscription to Spotify following widespread backlash, but a monthly limit will still apply. The development comes weeks after the company detailed its plans for a new “deluxe” subscription tier which would offer high-fidelity audio streaming to users.

Spotify Lyrics Return to Free Subscription Tier

Spotify first announced that it would limit lyrics for free users in September 2023, with wider complaints on the service's community forums and social media about its inaccessibility in May this year. Following this change, if free users crossed a limit of three songs, a Spotify Premium subscription would be required to view lyrics.

A Spotify spokesperson told TechCrunch that the music streaming platform is bringing back lyrics for users who don't have a premium subscription. “Over the coming weeks, we'll be expanding lyrics availability for Spotify free users so more people can enjoy viewing more lyrics, globally”, the spokesperson said.

However, Spotify will not offer unlimited access to lyrics without a premium subscription. While it did not specify the exact limit, a company representative told 9to5Google that the figure is “higher than anyone would ever reach”. The changes are speculated to be rolled out onto the platform over the coming weeks.

The music streaming service's earnings call for the second quarter of 2024 revealed that it has a total of 626 million active monthly listeners out of which, only 246 million are paid subscribers. This means more than half of Spotify's user base is still on the free tier.

The company has also introduced a price hike in recent months. In June, the price of all the Spotify Premium subscriptions in the US saw an increase for the second time in 12 months, with the Individual plan now costing $11.99 (roughly Rs. 1,003) a month, up from $10.99 (roughly Rs. 920).